School Teachers Save Co-Worker with CPR and Defibrillation At Local School

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December 05, 2013

Anne Marie Peacock
425-556-2165

Redmond, WA - A 54-year-old schoolteacher survived a sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) today, thanks to the efforts of co-workers at the Overlake School in Redmond. The 54-year-old music teacher was in class teaching music when he suddenly collapsed and became unconscious. He survived because of the quick actions of staff at the school.

When teachers in adjoining classrooms responded to calls for help, they knew exactly what to do as one of the teachers is the instructor for CPR and Automatic External Defibrillation (AED) courses at the Overlake School. This group of teachers and staff quickly provided CPR and “shocked” the 54-year old into a survivable cardiac rhythm. As Medic One and Fire Department responders arrived on scene, the 54 year old patient began showing signs of life. The patient was stabilized by EMT’s and Paramedics and quickly transported to Evergreen Hospital and Medical Center where he is reported to be in stable condition.

“This group of teachers and staff definitely saved the life of their co-worker, according to Redmond Paramedics. This is the model that demonstrates how communities can come together to save a life. These are the critical pieces that make Medic One in our communities successful because citizens learn CPR, use AED’s and are willing to respond.”

The health teacher who provides CPR and AED courses to students at the Overlake School as well as this group of teachers who were part of this lifesaving team had never seen a cardiac arrest. This real life experience demonstrates the importance of delivering CPR education early on in the schools as well as to the success of the community CPR programs. King County, WA has the highest resuscitation rate in world, which is over 50%. This is because of the aggressive CPR and AED training programs and most importantly, the citizens, dispatchers and emergency responders who comprise the Medic One system.